


Dancing in the dark

by LesbianDragon_LD



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Dancing, Edeleth, F/F, Fluff, Mentions of homophobia, a bit sad I guess, but happy ending guys don't worry I got you, i'm sappy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-19
Updated: 2019-09-19
Packaged: 2020-10-24 09:28:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20703725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LesbianDragon_LD/pseuds/LesbianDragon_LD
Summary: After escaping the ball, Edelgard meets Byleth in the Goddess tower.Byleth didn't want to keep Edelgard from dancing and having fun among other students, but little did she realize the person Edelgard wanted to dance with the most is standing right in front of her.





	Dancing in the dark

**Author's Note:**

> If the game doesn't let Byleth have a proper dance with Edelgard I'mma do it myself.  
Takes place after Edelgard's Goddess tower event.  
I was gonna let it with an open ending for non-crimson-flower-route sad feels, but couldn't do it because I'm that weak, so I added a happy ending.

“I would not wish to prevent you from mingling. I cannot keep you all to myself, after all.”

As Edelgard held out her hand for Byleth to take so they could both leave the tower and return to the ball, the professor hesitated.

“I…I would prefer to stay” Byleth finally replied.

“Oh…I see…”

Her beautiful lavender eyes now looked down, filled with sadness, as Edelgard’s hand fell back to her side. She turned around to leave alone, when Byleth called out for her.

“Would you like to keep me company? Just for a little longer?”

The younger woman turned around again, surprised. A smile lit up her face as she agreed, and both moved to sit down on top of the steps that lead back to the first floor. Byleth explained she wasn’t a big fan of parties, and that her intention was to seek refuge on the tower until everyone went to bed. She enjoyed the company of her students and colleagues, but hours of dancing with so many different men alongside the general discomfort of being in a crowded place had left her mentally spent. She was an ex-mercenary after all, so solitude was her natural state. Edelgard merely listened, one hand propping her chin as she paid full attention to Byleth.

“Well, that’s not surprising…” Edelgard told her after hearing Byleth’s little rant “and I myself am not a fan of such events either. In truth, I just wanted to go back with you so we could walk together.”

“So I’m not keeping you from dancing with a special someone?” Byleth joked, but Edelgard’s reaction was not one she expected. The younger woman darted her eyes to look away from Byleth, briefly mumbling to herself before quietly replying; “I can’t dance with the person I want to dance with…”

“Why not?” Byleth inquired, innocently moving closer to Edelgard so she could hear her quiet voice better, but unintentionally prompting embarrassment from the younger woman.

“Hm, it’s not proper for…two women, to dance together” Edelgard finally confessed, half expecting her professor to feel disgusted at her. She didn’t know how her professor felt about same sex relationships, yet she still felt like telling her. This was one way to find out, after all.  
To Edelgard’s surprise, her professor seemed rather unfazed. 

“You…you don’t find it strange?” 

“Not at all” Byleth replied, “I’ve seen many couples during my time as a mercenary, and it’s much more common that one would assume. For commoners without forced marriages, people are free to love who they love and so they do.”

Edelgard smiled. Perhaps there was hope that, if she ever did manage to fulfill her dream of ending the system of crests and noble bloodlines, she would finally be able to be free to be herself as well. It was a lovely wish that made her day dream, but Byleth’s voice snapped her back to reality.

“So, who is she? Dorothea? Petra? You can tell me if you wish to do so, and if not that’s fine as well.” 

Edelgard shook her head, her mind screaming at her not to reveal anymore. Screaming that it was too risky to put herself out there like that. But the urge was too strong, and the words still left her mouth.

“It’s you.”

Byleth seemed to be a bit taken aback, and Edelgard mentally kicked herself for telling her. But then, Byleth rose, did a courteous bow similar to the one men usually did at the balls and extended her hand to Edelgard.

“Then…would you give me the honor of sharing a dance?” she offered the younger woman.

Edelgard couldn’t believe it.  
She took Byleth’s hand and the professor helped her to her feet. In a moment, she found herself in Byleth’s arms. Byleth had a hand on Edelgard’s waist, and Edelgard placed hers on Byleth’s shoulder as she had done to male dancers before. Their free hands intertwined, mimicking the couples that danced in the ball so far away from them.

“I’m not used to dancing and much less leading, but I’ll try my best” Byleth confessed, looking down at their feet as to avoid missteps. 

“Don’t worry” Edelgard smiled at her, “I’m already happy as it is!”

Byleth tried to take a few steps, with Edelgard coaching her and teaching her how to dance once she realized how Byleth struggled.

“This is definitely more difficult without music…” Byleth protested, and Edelgard couldn’t help but laugh in agreement.  
Once Byleth picked up her pace and could lead somewhat decently, Edelgard let her head rest the crook of Byleth’s neck. Their dance became less of a waltz and turned more into a slow dance with each passing moment, until they eventually came to a halt.

“Do you remember the White Heron Cup? How you watched me practice and gave me feedback on my dance? I wished you had danced with me then instead of watching, and now that we finally danced I can’t help wishing our dance would last forever…” Edelgard confessed, before pulling away, “thank you, my teacher. I don’t know what the future holds, but I’ll always be grateful to you. I’ll always remember this moment, no matter what happens.”

To Edelgard’s surprise, Byleth moved to hold Edelgard’s hands in hers.

“Edelgard…you’re smiling, but your smile isn’t reaching your eyes…”

Edelgard could feel tears coming, but she didn’t want to cry in front of Byleth. She freed one hand from Byleth’s to wipe her eyes on her sleeve. She could feel the sobs that dared to come out of her mouth, unable to prevent them. She tried to cover her face desperately as she tried to calm herself, but Byleth moved her hand away. 

“It’s okay to cry. My father always told me that” Byleth assured her as she hugged Edelgard, who cried on her shoulder.

~.~.~.~

Edelgard had told her fiancée she didn’t wish for a big wedding, but Byleth still insisted on some conditions. Byleth demanded a ball after, one with musicians. Not because she was particularly fond of them or of music, but because of a silent oath she had made a long time ago. And when the day of their wedding came, Edelgard finally understood why.  
Her wife dragged her to the dancing floor, asking her if she remembered that day at the tower all those years ago. And how could Edelgard forget?

“I promised myself I’d give you a proper dance one day, one you’ve always wanted to have” her wife whispered in Edelgard’s ear as they danced among other couples that were invited. Couples of men with women, men with men, and of course, women with women.

No one else had heard what Byleth told her, so the guests were merely surprised to see the usually stoic empress, who didn’t even cry as she exchanged vows with her wife at the chapel, finally cry tears of joy on their special day.


End file.
